Safety release device for a load suspended from an aircraft for transport and charge equipped with such a device

Abstract

The invention concerns a safety release device for a charge suspended from an aircraft. A so-called bus bar occupies two positions, the first called the "safety" position, in which the unlocking of any locking element connected to the charge is prevented, even if orders to this effect were given, and the second called the "cocked" position, which, in contrast, permits orders to be carried out once given. A system for suspending the charge cooperates with said bar, said system comprising a given number of means acting in such a way that, as long as the lug of the carrier vehicle is connected with the suspension system, displacement of said bar is impossible. Such a suspension system consists of a ring capable of undergoing a movement, particularly rotation, translation in a vertical plane, or rocking, only when the lug is no longer present in the opening of the ring, said movement freeing a means integral with the ring which previously impeded the movement of the bar. The invention is applied particularly to the transportation and dropping of military charges.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
       1. A safety device for a munition suspended beneath an aircraft, said safety device comprising: a sliding bar movable between a first position and a second position;   first blocking means for locking said bar in said first position;   cable release means connected between said aircraft and said first blocking means for actuating the release of said first blocking means;   at least one suspending ring engageable with a hook integral with said aircraft;   second blocking means mechanically connected to said at least one ring for locking said bar in said first position when said at least one ring is engaged with said hook;   at least two apertures in said sliding bar, each of said apertures having first and second cross sections;   a fuse lock engageable with each of said apertures, each said fuse lock including a first rectangular cross section portion engageable with said first cross section of one of said apertures when said sliding bar is in said first position for maintaining said fuse lock in a safety position and a second circular cross section engageable with said second cross section of said one of said apertures when said sliding bar is in said second position for releasing said fuse lock into an armed position,   whereby said fuse locks are released into an armed position only when said release means is actuated and said at least one ring is disengaged from said hook.   
     
     
       2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said second blocking means for said sliding bar comprises a stud integral with said at least one ring, said stud being located in an auxiliary aperture formed in the sliding bar, and wherein each said at least one ring is rotatably movable about an axis perpendicular to the direction of displacement of said bar. 
     
     
       3. The device of claim 1 wherein said second blocking means comprises: an auxiliary aperture in said sliding bar, said auxiliary aperture having a first circular cross section and a second rectangular cross section;   means permitting said at least one ring to move between a first position wherein said ring is engaged with said hook, and a second position;   means biasing said ring into said second position; and   a cylindrical extension fixed to each said ring, each said cylindrical extension including a first circular cross section portion engageable with said first circular cross section of said auxiliary aperture when said ring is in said first position, and a second rectangular cross section portion engageable with said second rectangular cross section of said auxiliary aperture when said ring is in said second position.   
     
     
       4. The device of claim 1, wherein said second blocking means comprises a stub integral with said at least one ring, said stub being located in an auxiliary socket formed in said sliding bar, wherein said at least one ring is rotatably movable by the action of a spring about an axis parallel to the direction of movement of the sliding bar. 
     
     
       5. The device of claim 1 wherein said second blocking means comprises: said at least one ring being fixed to said munition; and   a pin movable between a first position in engagement with an auxiliary aperture of said sliding bar for locking said sliding bar in said first position thereof, and a second position disengaged with said auxiliary aperture for unlocking said sliding bar, said pin further engaging the aperture of said one ring when said ring is engaged with said hook for maintaining said pin in said first position thereof.